Aug. 2 Letters to the Editor

Single-payer system needed

We need single-payer health care for all. The doctors, insurance companies and drug companies have kept us in a stranglehold long enough. All they care about is how much money they will lose if single-payer goes through.

Donna Fanning

Kalama

What’s going on at City Hall?

Thank you for your excellent article regarding Councilmen Don Jensen’s and Andy Busack’s no votes on the storm water issues. What in the world is going on at City Hall? We now have a very important issue regarding pollution and the environment, and Jensen and Busack decide they are going to make a personal statement that affects the entire city in a very negative way.

Enough is enough. It is quite obvious that these individuals should step down from their positions, as they are not qualified to lead and direct our city, but are bent on satisfying their own issues and not those of us living here in Longview.

Their opinions regarding continuing to pollute our precious waterways because it has always been done that way clearly identifies them as “old school” and not able to identify with the progressive and consistent effort our nation needs to make in order to provide clean water and

air for present and future generations.

Look back on the carelessness of the past, and one can see that reckless disregard for the environment has done nothing but pollute and endanger all manner of life on Earth. If Busack and Jensen have their way, we might turn back the clock and remove all restrictions enacted to save the environment, i.e., continue to dump anything you want in the waterways and streets. We need to preserve and protect our city, state and nation and set a good example by enforcing laws that step up to present-day intelligence on management of our resources.

Irene Roder

Longview

Are you a parent?

In follow up to LaDell Hollenbeck (July 24 letter) on children needing discipline, I do agree that children need to be taught respect of other people and their property. Many children are well-mannered and some are just left to do most of what they want without any parental guidance. Many parents today are happy if the children are out of their way doing other things.

Parents need to think about the fact that their children are the future of this country and depend on the work habits and morals of the future. Watch small children in the stores and how they are ignored by parents and do whatever they want. Children take down toys and play with them in the stores and leave them for other people to look at and buy. I could go on and on with this subject, but I know a lot of readers know what I am talking about.

Make no mistake, I love children and I think they need a chance to be something and make a great difference in this country. The problem, as I see it, are the laws that protect children from the traditional spanking for the discipline of wrongful acts. No fear of discipline? Then the lack of discipline is most likely the culprit. Remember, children can grow up to be law breakers or disrespect the morality of people, or become the makers of future laws. Parents, you made the children and they are your responsibility, no excuses.

Ernie Gerald

Longview

Streamline permit process

A couple of years ago, a local sportsman club (Cowlitz Game and Anglers) applied for and got a grant of $100,000 to build a public shooting range here.

To date they have spent nearly $40,000 on building permits and still have no

permit to build. There is a lesson here.

Why does it take such a large sum of money to get permission to hire people and construct something? With double-digit unemployment in the county, isn’t it time to streamline this process?

Richard Deming

Longview

Road work starts too early

During the many years I’ve traveled to work to Longview on SR 4, this is by far the worst road construction I have ever encountered. I don’t mind if they’re still working on the road construction when I come home from work, but it’s going to work in the morning that gets me.

In the past, road construction didn’t start till 8 a.m., but this year it’s 7 a.m. Why? This shows arrogance and disrespect for us fellow drivers. Our jobs and to be at work on time are just as important, too. A lot of businesses don’t start ’til 8 a.m. So why 7 a.m.?

Sure, we can leave home early enough to try to get to work on time during road construction. I’ve done that … sometimes I make it right on time and sometimes I’m a few minutes late. On some occasions, we’ve had to stop at least three times. And what is going on in taking over six miles of empty road gap in between? If that’s the case, why not have the pilots drive the speed limit

at 55 instead of 40.I urge all fellow drivers to protest and call Lakeside Industries.

Toni Below

Cathlamet